India's young filmmaker Stanzin Jigmet wins Gold at 53rd Student Academy Awards

Ladakh filmmaker Stanzin Jigmet has won Gold at the 53rd Student Academy Awards for his film The Dragon Letter, earning international recognition for a story rooted in the Indian Himalayas.

The award ceremony was held in Toronto on Monday as part of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Jigmet's film emerged from a competition that received 2,972 entries from 894 colleges and universities across the world.

Jigmet, who hails from the remote village of Mulbekh in Ladakh, had earlier shared his reaction after the winners were announced in August.

In an Instagram post, he said the journey from Mulbekh to the Academy "still feels unreal" and dedicated the award to his family, friends, cast and crew, as well as ESCAC and Pixel Challenger Films.

The Dragon Letter is a significant milestone in Jigmet's filmmaking career, which has taken him from Ladakh to international film circles. He holds a Master's degree in Film Directing from ESCAC in Barcelona, Spain.

Jigmet is also the founder of Pixel Challenger Films, a cinema-grade production house based in Ladakh.

The 2026 Student Academy Awards ceremony featured remarks from Academy CEO Bill Kramer, Academy Directors Branch Governor and Academy Museum Trustee Jason Reitman, and Academy Foundation Board President and Casting Directors Branch Governor Kim Taylor-Coleman. Actors Gemma Chan and Gael García Bernal, along with Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Liz Garbus, were among the presenters.